Posts Tagged ‘San Francisco Chronicle’

Jon Bonné’s most memorable wines, and a walk down Eisele lane …

December 30, 2012

You’re reading this blog, so it’s probably reasonable to assume you’re aware of Jon Bonné. Possibly from just reading this blog, but more likely because of his excellent wine column in the San Francisco Chronicle.

SFChron

He’s an excellent writer, with an excellent palate, and above all else, he’s a pro.

And, he likes to have a bit of fun with some archetypal end-of-year tropes; something I’m rather fond of as well.

(http://blog.ridgewine.com/2012/12/28/announcing-the-2012-ridge-vineyards-wine-of-the-year/)

Jon’s most recent contribution to the EOY canon is a column entitled “The Ten Most Memorable Wines of 2012.”

I like this. I like this because it calls attention to that which separates the wine from the drink, as it were. A drink is food, is culinary. It is tasted, it is savored, it is assessed, and hopefully, it is enjoyed. But a wine, when wonderful, is more than that. It is experiential. It is a moment. It is a memory in the making.

To remember a wine as memorable is to recognize it for what it is best able to achieve; to acknowledge that it has become a part of one’s personal emotional and aesthetic history.

So I love this list. Because it’s not necessarily about identifying the “best” wines per se, it’s about identifying the wines that continue to live with you, that continue to move you, that continue to haunt you in the best ways.

A memorable wine is an experience, a night you’ll never forget.

I encourage you to read Jon’s list; it’s a phenomenal compendium of experiences.

In the #3 spot are two Ridge wines; the 2009 Monte Bello, and the 1971 Eisele.

The 1971 Eisele.

A wine I’ll never forget.

I first tasted this wine in May of 2009. You can find my tasting notes here:

http://blog.ridgewine.com/2009/05/21/pssst-pass-this-cab-across-your-lips-or-aaaaah-the-eisele/

I read back on my write-up now, and have to laugh at the nervous rigidity of my prose; in an effort to constrain my ebullience, I tightened up, and attempted to present straightforward tasting notes in as pro a fashion as possible. Ridiculous.

Eric Baugher, our VP of Winemaking here at Monte Bello, said it far better than I did:

“The ’71 Eisele was awesome!”

Cheers Jon; to your memories, and ours, and everyone’s!

–

To read Jon’s full article, please click the following link:

http://www.sfgate.com/wine/thirst/article/The-10-most-memorable-wines-of-2012-4152968.php#page-2

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, History, Press Reviews, Tasting Notes, Varietals & Blends | 2 Comments »

The Seriousness of Zinfandel?

February 4, 2011

You may have read Jon Bonne’s recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled “Is Zinfandel a serious wine?” If you did (or even if you didn’t!), you may have noticed that this article sparked a rather fierce debate in the aftermath of its publication; it seems the topic touched quite a collective nerve! If you didn’t see the original article, you can click here to read it.

I watched most of the arguments from the sidelines, content to enjoy all the kind words about Ridge Zinfandel that cropped up in the various conversations. And thanks to all for that!

But I did wade into one thread, and with great pleasure, as it meant I was among the comments following an article by Steve Heimoff. If you’ve read anything by Steve, particularly on his blog, you’ll know he has a fantastic knack for not only provoking great responses, but attracting an astonishing caliber of respondents. No disrespect intended to Steve, but there are times when reading the comment feed is almost more instructive than reading the original article!

Anyhow, Steve took on the topic of Zinfandel’s seriousness, and I eventually threw my rhetorical hat into the ring. I reprint my initial response below, but I encourage you to visit Steve’s site and read both his posting, and the 40+ comments that followed. You can find it all here:

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2011/01/31/is-zinfandel-a-serious-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-166960

As to my original comment, here ’tis:

I wonder if I might address the question of serious vs. fun (for lack of a better way to frame the debate as it seems to be shaping up) by positing that one can be quite serious about one’s fun. I find that both Ridge, and Zinfandel, have fascinating histories specifically because of the way they have historically lived at some unique juncture point of high and low brow tendencies; when they succeed, they perform a marvelous integration of funk and sophistication, head and heart, technique and instinct.

Many if not all of our greatest artists throughout history were deadly serious about producing that which would ideally be entertaining to us; comedians who rehearsed jokes for 10 hours a day, composers who brought themselves to the brink of exhaustion at the piano, painters who drove themselves to the edge of madness at the canvas, writers who labored over every punctuation mark in every poem. As recipients of their artistry and dedication, we revel in the sensual enjoyment of their creations, be they light or heavy, fun or serious, playful or ponderous.

The point being, one can be serious about making a zinfandel that is flat out fun to drink. I am a proud employee of Ridge Vineyards because I think that’s exactly what Ridge does, and it’s something I wanted to be a part of. And we are certainly not alone in doing this. All the accolades, devotions, and praises evident in this comment feed alone attest to it. Cheers to zinfandel, and cheers, as always, to Steve for producing such effectively provocative writing. It’s serious work he does, but it’s alot of fun to read!

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Posted in Wine Blogs, Zinfandel | 2 Comments »

Interested In Clones?

March 17, 2010

If you’re interested in matters pertaining to clonal selection in the vineyard, then I would like to call your attention to a fascinating article by Jon Bonné that recently ran in The San Francisco Chronicle, in which he takes a close look at some of the idiosyncratic, trend-bucking choices a number of Santa Cruz appellation producers have been making for their vines. And yes, we do make a bit of a cameo on the article!

When replanting the Monte Bello site, Ridge Vineyards eschewed the standard industry-blessed clones, instead investing in a hodgepodge of historic vines.

When it acquired the site in 1959, the existing Cabernet came from the old Fountain Grove site in Sonoma; at least four of those specimens are being cleaned up to be used anew, “just to try to save a little bit more of that genetics,” says David Gates, who runs Ridge’s vineyards.

More recent Cabernet plantings have a lineage back to the old La Questa vineyard founded by Emmet Rixford in the 1880s, which in turn traces its origins to Margaux. The La Questa clones arrived on Monte Bello’s limestone ridge via Mount Eden Vineyards, which we’ll get to in a moment. Even Ridge’s Petit Verdot has a lineage (officially sanctioned) to UC Davis’ long-abandoned Jackson experimental vineyard in the Sierra Foothills.

“We are prejudiced toward clones that have been in California as long as possible,” Draper says.

You can read the full article here.

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Posted in Monte Bello, Paul Draper, Press Reviews, Vineyards and Oenology | Leave a Comment »

FANTASTIC Article on Ridge (& The Santa Cruz Mountains Region!) In The San Francisco Chronicle!

March 1, 2010

Jon Bonné has penned an absolutely wonderful article about Santa Cruz Mountains wines in the San Francisco Chronicle, with a hearty portion of the text devoted to Ridge Vineyards. Here’s how the article begins:

Next week, Paul Draper and his team at Ridge Vineyards will pause from their work at the legendary Monte Bello vineyard and raise a glass to 50 years of winemaking, high above the streets of Cupertino.

Ridge’s half-century history is a testament to the improbable. Neither Draper nor any of Ridge’s founders, all Stanford scientists, were wine people by training. And Monte Bello is the exception that proves the rules in California Cabernet: made in American oak and not French; rarely exceeding 13 percent alcohol.

This would be reactionary if not for the fact that its style (with the exception of more new oak) hasn’t wavered much in more than 40 vintages – a tribute to the old-fashioned techniques that Draper pioneered after arriving in 1969.

You can enjoy the full article here.
 

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, History, Monte Bello, Paul Draper, Press Reviews, Varietals & Blends | Leave a Comment »

Three Vintage Vertical of Geyserville: Tasting Notes

December 10, 2009

So, I guess I’ve just got Geyserville on the brain, or maybe Geyserville has me on its mind? Whatever, one way or another, me and Geyserville seem to be dancing in the same ballroom these days. Coming on the heels of the good news from the San Francisco Chronicle (see previous post) comes a lovely afternoon spent at the Upper Winery tasting three vintages of Geyserville! Oh, and a sneak preview of the 2008 Geyserville! Oh, oh, and a sneak peak component tasting of the 2009! Geyservilles and Verticals and Components, oh my!

Anyhow, needless to say, it was a glorious tasting. We first blind tasted the 2005, 2006, and 2007 vintages, with the 2008 thrown in for good measure. And then the 2009 components followed. And throughout, there was cheese! (See below). In this case, Humboldt Fog  and Teleme , two of our favorite cheeses to pair with Ridge wines …

Below please find some tasting notes on what we tasted; the notes are an assemblage of sorts consisting of my notes, plus those of Paul Draper and Eric Baugher. Enjoy!

Oh, wait! Before we get into the notes, I have very, very, very, very good news! As yet another example of Geyserville synchronicity, one more instance in which the Geyserville and I are motorcycling down the same stretch of Route 66, one more night of Geyserville and I playing Thelonious Monk tunes in the same combo, I’m very happy to tell you that, for the second edition of Winter Wine Series  (coming this Saturday!), we’ll be pouring, in addition to the Lytton Duo Holiday Pack, the Geyserville Vertical Holiday Pack! (This consists of the 2003, 2004, and 2005 vintages, and they’re all delicious!)

Ok, on to the tasting notes. First, the 05, 06, and 07 vertical:

2005 Geyserville

Darkish magenta belly with a lovely raspberry-toned limn. Medium-viscosity. Strong plummy notes in the bouquet, richly spiced, with strains of blackberry and jam. Deeply interwoven threads of bramble, mint, and gravel, with penetrating fruit concentration. Showing classic second-stage Geyserville characteristics; very sensuous, fully resolved, and exhibiting great finesse and elegance.

2006 Geyserville

Aromatics laden with rich berry notes and concentrated spice. Very structure forward on the palate, with a dark herbality, firm tannins, intense acidity, and an overall sense of great depth. Lots of earth and gravel character, hints of oak, and a bright vivacity to the acid/tannin balance. Still developing the full spectrum of expression, but very exciting for its muscularity.

2007 Geyserville

Dark plum-toned belly with a pale raspberry limn, and showing medium-light viscosity. A restrained elegance to the bouquet, but with deep saturation of berry and cherry notes. Wonderfully complex aromatics. The mouthfeel is resolving nicely, and while the tannins are comparatively restrained, they exhibit a nice chalkiness. Overall, very silkly, utterly seamless, and again, very elegant. Very fresh fruit notes balanced against a hint of caramel sweetness, carpeting a layer of earth and gravel.

Regarding the 2008 vintage, everyone at the table positively marveled at the lushness, the concentration, the density, the opulence of this offering. And as regards the 2009 components, we tasted Carignane, Petite Sirah, and some wonderful interplanted parcels from New Patch, Old Patch, and Whitten Ranch. While all are obviously still in development, the potential on offer as regards both pre- and post-assemblage bespeaks a tremendously complex Geyserville for 2009, and the 2008 is clearly en route to becoming a fantastically substantive contribution to the rich Geyserville canon.

And that’s the rundown for now! Please make sure, if you’re anywhere near either Monte Bello or Lytton Springs this weekend, to come out and sample both the Lytton Duo and Geyserville Holiday Packs; this is a great opportunity to sample a delicious spectrum of our flagship zinfandels!

Cheers!

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Posted in Carignane, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, Paul Draper, Petite Sirah, Tasting Flights, Tasting Notes, Varietals & Blends, Viticultural Salmagundi, Wine Tales, Winemaking, Zinfandel | Leave a Comment »

Geyserville is #1!

December 8, 2009

Well, it’s official, the San Francisco Chronicle has selected their Top 100 Wines of the Year, and guess what came out on top? Our very own Ridge Vineyards 2007 Geyserville!

“The best Geyserville in years, and a reminder of Ridge’s quintessential restrained style.”

You can read the excellent introduction by Jon Bonné here, and you can see the full list here.

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Posted in Press Reviews, Tasting Notes, Varietals & Blends, Viticultural Salmagundi, Zinfandel | 1 Comment »

Ridge For Thanksgiving! -or- Ridge Wine In The News! -or- An Admittedly Boastful Post, Full Of Bi-Coastal Toasts!

November 17, 2009

Well, I must say, it’s been a rather nice week in the news for Ridge, and I’m very happy to see that our holiday appeal appears to be bi-coastal, in that both the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle recently highlighted Ridge wines for their Thanksgiving Dinner companionability!

The New York times article, written by Eric Asimov, recounts this year’s edition of an annual pre-Thanksgiving tasting:

For six consecutive years, the Dining section’s wine panel has gathered for an early Thanksgiving meal. The mission: to taste potential holiday wines, to determine what works and what does not with a representative feast, and to offer coherent answers to the annual question of what to serve with the bird.

In the red wine category, our 2007 Three Valleys was elected the proverbial Best In Show:

Sam brought our top-rated red, a 2007 Three Valleys zinfandel from Ridge. I always run counter to the Thanksgiving bromide that zinfandel is the perfect American wine for the most American holiday. Zinfandel is often too big and alcoholic. But at 14.3 percent, this zin was well balanced and almost sleek.

On the other coast, Jon Bonné wrote a pair of linked Thanksgiving-theme articles recently; in the first one, from 11.13.09, he gives readers a very helpful general guide to selecting wines for the Thanksgiving table, and in the second, from 11.15.09, he provides tasting notes on some of his personal recommendations. He wrote the following about our 2007 Geyserville:

2007 Ridge Geyserville Sonoma County ($35) A classic Geyserville that shows off why Ridge’s style has endured. Sweet and eloquent, with charred branch, balsam, plump blackberry and a smoky edge. The balance is impeccable. Predominantly Zinfandel, with Carignane, Petite Sirah and Mourvedre.

So, if you’re beginning the process of selecting your wines for Thanksgiving, I am happy to suggest a little something from Ridge!

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Posted in Press Reviews, Tasting Notes, Varietals & Blends, Viticultural Salmagundi, Wine Blogs, Zinfandel | Leave a Comment »

Ridge Vineyards 2007 Paso Robles in the San Francisco Chronicle!

October 12, 2009

Very nice mention of our new 2007 Paso Robles zinfandel in a San Francisco Chronicle article by Lynne Char Bennett, focusing on this fine central coast wine-growing region. You can read the full article here; our Paso Robles zinfandel is described as being made in “a more elegant style …” Cheers to Lynne!

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Posted in Press Reviews, Tasting Notes, Varietals & Blends, Zinfandel | Leave a Comment »

Natural Winemaking -or- Got The Natural Blues? Drink The Natural Reds! -or- The Chronicle Chronicles A Chronicle Of Natural Wines!

September 1, 2009

Jon Bonné wrote an excellent piece in the San Francisco Chronicle this past Sunday in which he discusses “natural” winemaking. It’s a fascinating topic, and of course a topic of great interest to those of us here at Ridge (Paul Draper in fact gets name-checked in the article), given that Ridge has long been at the forefront of advocation for more “natural” processes as regards making wine.

I actually missed the article when it came out, but Paul brought it  up during our Monday morning meeting; he was particularly impressed with the writer for expressly acknowledging the winemaking side of the equation; so much attention gets paid to vineyard methodologies as regards organic farming, biodynamism, etc., that it was very heartening to see wineries being looked at as well.

In a rather strange confluence of occurrences, Paul happened to mention the matter of “ingredient lists” for wine labels during this meeting, and after I returned to my computer, I found an e-mail from a customer wanting to know if we used any milk products in our wines! Knowing our winemaker Eric Baugher’s passion for the creation of just such an ingredients list, I passed the e-mail on, and he immediately noted it as being a perfect example of why such labeling is so important.

And by the way, no, no milk products are used!

Any thoughts on the matter of “natural” winemaking or the possibility of establishing new labeling standards (i.e. an ingredients list) for wines? Let me know!

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Posted in Press Reviews, Vineyards and Oenology | Leave a Comment »

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